They have a different take on "cash in": Since AUG #CocaCola has broadcast commercial using #JohnnyCash voice & now his family has brought suit! Recently-passed "Elvis Law" supports them, forbids unauthrzd use of imitation of person's voice

Dutch out-of-the-box thinking! Govt trying to get people to actually turn in empty bottles/cans for the deposit; So soon (a few) lucky winners can win a prize (yet undetermined) when they turn in their stuff! But planners now of course have to consult the Gambling Commission

See, a government list of "media offenders" is very different from federal censorship, which thankfully ended earlier in the year.

MAGA-style infiltration: 81yr-old billionaire #RonaldLauder is big Trump supporter, now he has purchased ownership interests in two #Greenland -based companies; #Denmark political experts sound the alarm!

"You've given the game away!" Outrage at NL seasonal program "Sinterklaas Journal," a favorite among young children, after scenes depicting Mom & Dad actually procuring Xmas gifts, wrapping the then hiding them away for the Big Day - they're supposed to come from Santa!

The civil war in Sudan is now a proxy battle between Gulf powers—Saudi Arabia and the UAE.

Authors! Need2B aware how your copyrights are at risk before indiscriminate #AI training; Sadly, DirGen of authors' assoctn #GESAC sez here there's little you can do: hard to know how your content is used & by whom, and EU authrties are doing very little to rectify problem

1st they banished Segways, now #Prague joins other leading EUR cities in forbidding e-scooters from JAN '26! Apparently were abused by drunk party-tourists, many wound up in Vltava river, so in OCT referendum 80% residents voted for ban from historic city & public transport www.deutschlandfunk....

#France Prez #Macron plans to introduce voluntary paid military prep for 18/19yr-olds; This despite his Chief of Armed Forces needing to open his mouth, declaring «The French «must show that they are ready to lose their children» - that did not go over well

This is so deeply at odds with the vision and history of America. Take pretty much any ethnic or racial group that are part of the American mosaic America today - they have all faced the same accusation. The moment these accusations are turned into policy are some of the most shameful in US history

Wrong. Europe surely realized that at least at the time of the Munich Security Conference in FEB; and since then European authorities surely have done at least SOME planning about how to deal with the situation, with contingencies, etc. www.theguardian.com/world/2025/n...

Here's what an Alpine Banana Republic looks like: #Vernier is Geneva suburb, has had no govt since JUN when local election was nullified due to attempted fraud via postal ballots; They'll try again tomorrow but still aren't really sure they can prevent that happening again

Wow. If this were a war, it'd be crystal clear war crime. Without a war, it's just an astonishing case of murder.

Late to the party: #Czech realizes it's now among few Euro-nations NOT restricting children's smartphone access in school; Even former head of local #Google office is calling for govt intervention & new cabinet seems likely to do so

There have to be consequences for murdering people and lying to Congress about it. This is the most basic thing. There have to be consequences.

'Cuz there HAS to be some sort of #HitlerYouth organization in #Germany - doesn't there🤔? Far-right party #AfD cut off its youth branch last APR (too extreme even for them!) but today in #Giessen a new one is being founded; Naturally, anti-fascist protesters are on-scene

It's a brief🧵

The President of the United States promising a policy of mass denaturalization of citizens "who undermine domestic tranquility"

#PopeLeo visits famous #BlueMosque in #Istanbul, removes shoes & says all the right things; Does NOT cross street to visit #HagiaSophia church/mosque which Turks under Mehmed II captured in 1453, so couldn't say "Nice to see you fellows are keeping the place in good shape!" www.telegraaf.nl/bui...

I hate to sow doubt whether this will actually succeed ... maybe if they need to attract contestants they'll just throw some pearls before those swine www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2025/...

It's just an unholy mess, already an abortion of a political party www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/...

#Albania 1yr ago put in experimental #TokTok ban: how's that going? Suspicions current PM did it only b/c elections were in May& he wanted to stifle unfavorable commo; But apparently anyone who really still wants access doesn't have to do much to get it anyway! www.deutschlandfunk.de/albanien-die...

This seems to be the perfect distillation of the point that putting volunteer military with no law enforcement experience on the streets of an unfamiliar city actually worsens public safety

Who’s gonna tell ‘em

Pst🤫 - wanna know a secret? #Amsterdam DOES NOT want to see you (espec if you're but a day-tripper) - unless too many of you stay away; Y'see WAY too many people now visit/crowd the city, partic Centrum, so it will hike taxes & even buy real estate to make sites non-touristy

National police investigate members of the opposition who call for military to follow the law www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/rcn...

Don't forget this by-product for when the AI bubble collapses: it will immediately endanger UK govt finances (which are in a dire enough state as they are) www.thetimes.com/money/saving...

Ah, a new American #Thanksgiving tradition to be cherished! Should at least help tone down all those family arguments, make the whole communal experience much more mellow www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/202...

This, namely her "heart of gold" ... OK ... bsky.app/profile/donm...

National parks have SO MANY people from other countries (since they get real vacations!) And they spend a lot of money on hotels, food, souvenirs, etc. This is unbelievably dumb, it will destroy entire tourist towns

Texas now asserting it can designate its own "foreign terrorist organizations" - starting w/this US-based NGO. Hardly know where to start on what's wrong w/this. Obvi has no federal effect. But reqs challenging on 1st Amend grounds minimum to limit any TX-specific burdens it purports to impose.

Good to know America retains the capacity to inspire🙄! www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/202...

So this happened in Oslo yesterday. Four articulated buses got stuck in a roundabout.

This is DYLAN Thomas they're writing about here; the "application" was for financial aid to help relieve his straightened circumstances www.theguardian.com/books/2025/n...

Certainly true: but it goes far beyond that! As other better analysts noted, the "American Democratic Experiment" was precisely one that meant to establish a powerful, effective govt that could not fall into tyranny; That clearly has failed; anything surviving Trump must start from a clean slate

Y'know that €100MMs of impounded #Russia deposits the EU wants to use to help #Ukraine? Most of that is held in #Belgium - and now the federal PM there #DeWever calls the idea "fundamentally wrong," sez he will oppose messing with those funds www.nieuwsblad.be/buitenland/d...

Wow, is that how #India business works? So personal! Apparently they don't bother to sell physical assets, they transfer ownership by selling on the very people who own them! I admit, the guy was born into family with very apt last name, influenced his career choice www.thetimes.com/business/com...

NEW from me - NSF cancels grant scheme for social science research. Seems the NSF quietly archived ALL calls for DDRIG grants in the SBE directorate. This is a massive blow for PhD students wanting to do cutting-edge social science research. 🏺🧪

Yeah right ... "the final stages" - of this BAKING competition! - "were particularly thrilling"🫠; Doesn't take much for certain types of Brits to get their rocks off, does it? (BTW does shaving one's head confer some sort of advantage?) www.thetimes.com/culture/tv-r...

Don't look now, but sez here #Germany is pushing hard in Space; #ESA convention just happened in #Breman where GE pledged 23% of agreed budget (= biggest funder), thereby eclipsed #France in effort to provide leadership & direction to future exploration projects www.lemonde.fr/economie/art...

What happens when you pick an American Pope: he builds an entire international trip around a Thanksgiving Turkey pun

In #Togo worries arise re: #AbdulAzizGoma, arrested there in '18 & now on hunger strike; Turns out he's an #Ireland citizen & addition to political agitation he insisted in calling himself Abdul Aziz O'Flaherty☘️ - the local authorities just wouldn't put up with THAT! www.rfi.fr/fr/afrique/2...

My friend Jake (that’s Dr. Beck to you!) on the crisis in Texas universities. www.dallasnews.com/opinion/comm...

Psst🤫! It's that city's secret plan to discourage immigration from #Haiti! Indonesia capital #Jakarta outlaws eating meat from dogs, cats anything else that could be rabid; Interesting thing is that it applies only in that city & not at all in rest of country www.nieuwsblad.be/nieuws/jakar...

Reuters reached out to everyone that Trump or his subordinates singled out publicly for retribution, and reviewed hundreds of official orders, directives and public records. The result: the most comprehensive accounting yet of his campaign of payback. www.reuters.com/investigates...

Ah, so I interpret that it's ALSO true that there has been no *increase* in femicide over that period - right? So look at the level: 2.7 women per million-year; (Obligatory: "Even 0.1 woman killed by partner = too much") That incidence again: 2.7 per MILLION each year! I would call that low

Fortunately, the #Poland President - truly a Trump-like figure, of the sort that unfortunately is now proliferating in Europe - is not really involved in administering justice/civil affairs

Proposal for increasing US political harmony: Drastically change ICE's mission to hunting down & deporting (to the African savannah, say) all pit bulls in the country! www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/202...

Not at all! I'm sorry that there seems to have been some sort of falling-out, but at the core of #Ukraine resistance is Zelenskyy; does he LOOK like he wants to be dictator? When this is all over - with #Russia 's collapse - all he'll probly want to do is go take a long rest

No no Steph: You'd otherwise just be grieving about the futures your children DEFINITELY would have, namely being cast into an overheated world where it's clear no one is going to do anything about the problem until it's too late inews.co.uk/opinion/chil...